


Wardrobe Change

by PervyPenguin



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cuddling, Fluff, M/M, Post-Arc: Lucifer Possessing Castiel, better safe than sorry, explained in end tags, get-together, possible consent issues?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-04
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-07-29 05:20:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7671664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PervyPenguin/pseuds/PervyPenguin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam's been jumpy around Cas ever since they defeated Amara. A wardrobe change may help, but how will it affect Dean?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wardrobe Change

Ever since the ordeal with Lucifer using Cas as a vessel, Sam has been uncomfortable. Logically, he knows that Lucifer is gone, banished to some nebulous dimension by Amara. But he can’t stop the instinctive caution and hesitation when he and Cas are in the same room. When Cas suddenly appears, quiet as a mouse, to ask a question, Sam startles and jumps far more than he should. Sure, Lucifer had been on their side at the end, but hundreds of years of torture in the Cage, not to mention the ensuing hallucinations, left their mark on Sam’s psyche. 

 

After multiple weeks of awkwardness, Cas finally approached him.

 

“Sam. I’ve noticed that recently your demeanor towards me has changed. Have I offended you in some way?” Cas asked.

 

“No, Cas,” Sam said, running his hand through his hair. “You haven’t done anything wrong. But… Lucifer looked just like you, ACTED just like you, for quite a while before we found out what was going on. Look, I  _ know _ that you’re you again. But I can’t help it. I don’t just see you as Cas right now. I still see him.”

 

Cas frowned. “I’m not sure I understand. You didn’t react with this much apprehension after the Leviathan took control.”

 

“Of course I didn’t. Look, Cas, I was in the pit for centuries. And Lucifer messed with me nearly the entire time. The Leviathan, dangerous and horrible as they were, weren’t personal. Lucifer got in my head. And he stayed there, even after I got back out. And  _ that’s _ the guy I see at first when I look at you right now. It’s not fair, and it sucks, but I see my personal torturer.”

 

“Sam, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize I was causing you such distress. I should leave. Would it be alright if I stay in the bunker for a few more days? Just until I can arrange something more permanent.”

 

“Leave? God, no, I don’t want you to leave Cas. I just…” Sam huffed out a breath. “Maybe we can work this out some other way? I mean, it doesn’t help that you’re still wearing the clothes that he wore and all. We could try an… an image change? Maybe get you a few different outfits so you can change it up a bit.”

 

The angel cocked his head and squinted. “Surely something so simple wouldn’t solve the problem.”

 

“Maybe not, but it can’t hurt, right? Anyways, since I’ve known you, you’ve had what? Three outfits? Maybe it’d even help you feel more welcome and more comfortable here if you had a room in the Bunker with…  _ stuff _ that’s just yours. Not borrowed or zapped in just when you need it. Stuff that’s always there, that you can build memories with.”

 

A strange look passed over Cas’ face, something wistful and sad. “And is that… Is that something you and Dean want? For me to feel welcome and comfortable, I mean?”

 

Sam gave Cas a sad smile. “Cas… I know we’ve been dicks before. We took you for granted, and acted like you didn’t matter except for how you could help us. And I’m more sorry than I can say. I know Dean feels the same, despite having his head up his ass and never saying anything to you. Then again neither have I.” He shook his head. “Anyways. The point is we took for granted that you’d always be there, because we always  _ want _ you around. You’re family. One of the downsides to family, ours at least, is that sometimes we suck. We never mean to, but we can definitely be jerks.”

 

Waves of emotion hit Cas, and his eyes started to water. Sam pulled him into a tight hug. The two embraced, Sam politely ignoring Cas’ soft shudders and silent tears. When he felt more composed, Cas pulled back and shook his head ruefully. “I suppose my family in Heaven didn’t act any better. Many were worse. But back to the topic at hand, if you believe a new wardrobe would be beneficial, I’m more than willing to try.”

 

“Well, then, let me grab a new credit card and we’ll go shopping.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

When Dean walked into the Bunker, hands full of beer, the silence  _ should _ have clued him in. 

 

“Cas! Sammy! I could use some help here!” He set the beer down on the kitchen table, grumbling about his absent brother and angel. “Sure, send Dean out for a supply run, then let him lug all the stuff back in himself.”

 

After carrying the rest of the groceries into the kitchen, Dean finally found the note.

 

_ Took Cas shopping. Back later. _

_ Sam  _

 

Dean shook his head, wondering what Sam and Cas needed that they couldn’t have waited to buy. He finished storing the supplies, grabbed the book he’d been reading from the War Room, and settled onto his bed to read. After finishing a few chapters, he set the book aside, and fell into a light slumber.

 

The next thing he knew, Cas was standing over his bed, calling his name. But he wasn’t dressed as he normally was; no trench coat, no ill-fitting suit. Instead, Cas wore dark, snug jeans and a slate gray, long sleeve henley.  _ Oh. _ Dean thought.  _ I’m dreaming. _

 

And because it was a dream, he gave the angel a sleepy smile. “Hey, Cas. You gonna join me?”

 

Cas cocked his head in bemusement. “Join you?”

 

“Yeah. C’mon.” Dean reached for Cas’ arm and tugged him forward, so the angel tumbled into the bed next to him. With a content sigh, Dean gathered him into his arms and shushed Cas. “Quiet, angel. ‘M sleepin’. S’why you’re here.”

 

Cas slowly relaxed into Dean’s hold. He debated whether he should correct Deans apparent assumption, but he felt so warm, and he’d longed to hold Dean for so long…  _ Just a little longer.  _ Cas promised himself.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Slowly, Dean came awake. It was unusual for him to come awake by degrees. Hunting meant sleeping light and waking up in an instant, ready to go. Warmth surrounded him, a sense of peace and safety settled on him. As he turned to try to fall back asleep, he felt pressure on his chest, preventing him from moving far. And despite his instincts, he wasn’t alarmed. 

 

He moved the arm on his chest and was faintly dismayed when saw it was Cas’. Dean shook his friend awake. “Cas? What are you doing here?”

 

Cas jumped as he woke, startled out of his sleep. His eyes flew wide with panic and he scrambled to sit up. “Oh, no. No no no no no. I’m sorry, Dean. I didn’t mean…”

 

“Hey, hey. I’m not mad. I’m just confused. Not every day I wake up next to someone I didn’t go to bed with. And what the hell are you wearing?” Dean asked.

 

“Sam said I reminded him of Lucifer. It was making him uncomfortable. We went shopping for new clothes yesterday, to help him differentiate between me and Lucifer. Didn’t Sam leave a note?” Cas said.

 

Dean snorted. “Yeah, just said you were going shopping though, not what for. That doesn’t answer the question of what you’re doing in bed with me.”

 

Cas looked down to his lap and mumbled something.

 

“You, uh, you wanna speak up, buddy?”

 

He heaved a great sigh before explaining in a rush, “I came to speak to you and you were sleeping. I tried to wake you but you seemed to believe you were still dreaming. You pulled me into the bed next to you.”

 

Rubbing a hand on the back of his neck, Dean replied. “Ok. That explains how you got there, not why you’re still here.”

 

“I wanted to be.” Cas said.

 

“You wanted to be… what? Asleep?” 

 

At that, Cas rolled his eyes. “Dean. I wanted to be  _ here. _ With you. I took advantage of your confusion for selfish reasons.”

 

“Dude, you just said I literally pulled you into bed with me. I’m not gonna blame you for that. But…” Dean paused for a moment, searching for something in Cas’ face. “You really wanted to be here? Cause you’ve seemed half ready to fly the coop for a while now.”

 

“Dean, I have been terrified that you would be coming to me any day to tell me it was time to leave. I thought, perhaps, staying out of your way, minimizing any disturbance for you and Sam would mean I could stay longer.” Cas said mournfully.

 

Guilt and shame rocked though Dean. Tears filled his eyes as he pulled the angel tight to him again. “No. You’re not leaving anytime soon, Cas. I’ve never  _ wanted _ you to leave. You’re family, and you belong here.”

 

Cas clutched at the back of Dean’s shirt, desperately wishing for this to be real, to be true. His voice broke. “Dean. Dean you can’t lie to me about this. It means too much. Please, just tell me…”

 

Dean pressed his lips against Cas’. It was a chaste kiss, though no less intense. Both men’s eyes were shining bright when they pulled back. Dean asked softly, “Was that ok?”

 

Cas could only nod.

 

“Please, don’t doubt that I want you here, Cas. And not just in the bunker, with me.”

 

Cas stared deep into Dean’s forest green eyes, looking for any hint of deception. He found none and relaxed more into Dean’s hug. His response was quiet. “I believe you, Dean.”

 

Dean adjusted their bodies so they were laying flat once more. “Good. Then let’s go back to sleep. That’s the best rest I’ve had in ages, and I could do with some more.”

 

Cas settled into the crook of Dean’s arm and smiled. Things weren’t perfect, but they were  _ good _ .

**Author's Note:**

> Consent note: Dean invites Cas to his bed, thinking it's a dream. 
> 
> This was originally written for the DestielCon 2016 Fanfiction contest.


End file.
